Rock drill feeding mechanism



June 1, 1937. E. G. GARTIN ROCK DRILL FEEDING MECHANISM Filed Aug. 22, 1934 3 sheets sheet 1 n r" m n a 8 .wa m 7. 5

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June 1, 1937. E. G. GARTIN ROCK DRILL FEEDING MECHANISM Filed Aug. 22, 1954 5 Sheets-Sheet II I 1720492: for: (f /mar 63 Gariz'n June 1, 1937. E. G. GARTIN 2,081,921

ROCK DRILL FEEDING MECHANISM Filed Aug; 22, 1934 s Sheets-Sheet 5 v 9; ll 1 Z? v v. I {\,2 !\\-\\v I Illllii:

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, E.- J/ I m Ex 117 fizz/e22 for Patented June 1, 1937 PATENT OFFICE ROCK DRILL FEEDING MECHANISM Elmer G. Gartin, Claremont, N. H., assignor to Sullivan Machinery Company, a corporation of Massachusetts Application August 22, 1934, Serial No. 740,976

Claims.

This invention relates to rock drills, and more particularly to improvements in the feeding mechanism of such drills.

An object of this invention is to provide an improved rock drill feeding mechanism. Another object is to provide an improved feeding mechanism for a rock drill of the mounted type, supported and guided for feeding movement along a guideway. Still another object is to provide an improved feeding mechanism for a rock drill of the mounted tower type for feeding the rock drill vertically along the guide tower. A further object is to provide an improved pneumatic feed ing mechanism for a rock drill and having associated there-with improved liquid displacement means for controlling the action of the pneumatic feeding mechanism. A still further object is to provide an improved liquid-dashpot control means for a pneumatic feeding mechanism and having associated therewith improved valve controlling means for controlling the pneumatic pressure and the flow of liquid. These and-other objects will, however, hereinafter more fully appear.

In the accompanying drawings there are shown for purposes of illustration several forms which the invention may assume in practice.

In these drawings,

Fig. l is a side elevational View of a tower mounted drill with which one illustrative form of the improved fee-ding mechanism is associated.

Fig. 2 is .a front elevational View of the guide tower and drill shown in Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a cross sectional view taken on line 3--3 of Fig. l.

Fig. 4 is a cross sectional View taken on line 4-4 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary side elevational view. with parts in longitudinal vertical section, showing details of construction of the improved feeding mechanism.

Fig. 6 is an enlarged vertical sectional view taken through the feeding mechanism shown in Fig. 5.

Fig. 7 a detail sectional view taken on line 'E-l of Fig. 6.

Fig. 8 a cross sectional view through the main throttle valve.

1 9 is a detail view showing the control lever for the pressure fluid and liquid displacement means.

Fig. 10 is a view similar to Fig. 5 showing a modified form of construction. I

Fig. ll is an enlar ed fragmentary vertica sectional view through the mechanism shown in Fig. 10.

Fig. 12 is a View similar to Fig. 11 showing a further modified form of construction.

Fig. 13 is aview similar to Figs. 11 and 12 show ing still another modified form of construction.

Fig. 14 is a detail view taken on line HL-M of Fig. 13.

Fig. 15 is a detail sectional view taken on line Iii-I5 of Fig. 13.

As shown in the drawings, the several forms of the improved feeding mechanism are shown embodied in a rock drilling mechanism of the tower mounted, self-feeding type particular-1y designed for use in quarry work, although it will be evident that the improved structure constituting the features of this invention maybe incorporated in drills of various other types. The drilling mechanism disclosed herein with which the feeding mechanism of all forms of the invention is associated comprises a wheeled carriage i having a tower support and guide herein in the form of a standard 2 mounted thereon and on which a hammer rock .drill 3 of a standard design is supported and guided for feeding movement in a longitudinal direction therealong. The wheeled carriage I comprises a frame 5 herein generally triangular in shape supported on an axle 5 for the carriage wheels 6 and having at the point of its triangle .a caster wheel 1 and a suitable draft connection 8 whereby the entire drilling unit may be towed from place to place. The standard 2 comprises parallel vertical channel irons 9, 9 forming parallel vertical guideways I0, I!) in which is slidably guided a carriage member 1 l, herein in the form of a weight, to which the rock drill support is secured. The channel irons 9, 9 of the guide tower 2 are braced with respect to the carriage frame 4 by means of diagonal brace rods l2.

Now referring to the illustrative form of the improved feeding mechanism and its associated liquid displacement means shown in Figs. 1 to 9 inclusive, it will be noted that secured to a plate E4 in turn secured to the vertical channel irons 9, 9 of the guide tower at the side of the. latter opposite from the drill 3 is a vertically arranged feed cylinder I5 containing, as shown in Figs. 5 and 6, a reciprocable feed piston 16. Suitably secured to this feed piston is an upwardly extendingtubular feed piston rod l1 passing through a stufling box l8 carried within the top head 19 of the cylinder. The lower end of the cylinder is closed by a bottom head 20 and the heads 19 and 20 are secured to the ends of the cylinder in any suitable manner.

The upper end of the tubular piston rod l! is threadedly connected to a sliding crosshead 2i guided, as shown in Fig. 3, in vertically extending parallel guideways 22, 22 suitably secured to the channel irons 9, 9. This sliding crosshead 2| has mounted thereon a horizontal shaft 23 on which is journaled a pair of guide sheaves 24. Secured at 25 to one of the channel irons is a cable 25 which extends around one of the pulleys 24 carried by the sliding crosshead and then passes upwardly around a guide sheave 21 journaled on the upper end of the guide tower. This cable passes from the guide sheave 27 down in the manner of a double loop around the second sheave 24 carried by the sliding crosshead and then passes upwardly around a parallel pulley 28 carried by the guide tower, the free end of this cable extending from the pulley 28 downwardly into connection at 29 with the sliding drill carriage l I. It will thus be seen that the pulleys and cable form a double. loop speed multiplying connection between the feed piston and drill carriage so that when the feed piston moves within its cylinder a certain distance the drill carriage moves along the. guide tower a distance four times greater. In other words, every inch the feed piston moves within its cylinder the drill carriage moves along the guide tower a distance of four inches. Pressure. fluid, herein air under pressure, is supplied through a pipe connection 30 leading to any suitable source of pressure fluid supply under the control of a main throttle valve 3! to a T 32. Pressure fluid is supplied through the T 32 to a pipe connection 33 connected at 34 within the top cylinder head !9 and communicating through a passage 35 with the upper end of the cylinder bore at the upper side of the feed piston. The T 32 is also connected through a pipe connection 36 to a passage 37 formed in the lower head 28 and communicating under the control of a slide or plunger valve 38, with the lower end of the cylinder bore at the lower side of the feed piston. Formed on the plunger valve 38 is an end seating valve 38 engageable with a seat 39 for controlling the flow of pressure fluid. from the lower end of the cylinder bore through an exhaust passage 40 leading to atmosphere. When the main throttle valve 3| is open as shown in Fig. 8, pressure fluid flows continuously through the pipe connection 33 and passage 35 to the upper end of the cylinder bore and through pipe connection 36 and passage 3? to the lower end of the cylinder bore. When the valve 38 slid upwardly the supply of pressure fluid to the lower end of the cylinder is cut off and this latter end of the cylinder is vented to atmosphere past the valve 38 and exhaust passage 40.

The improved liquid displacement means for controlling the pneumatic feeding motor to regulate the rate of feed comprises a piston ll contained in a displacement cylinder 42 formed in the tubular feed piston rod l? and this piston carries oppositely arranged cup packings 33 to prevent leakage past the piston. Secured as by threading at M within the feed piston is a tubular piston rod 45 extending centrally through the tubular feed piston rod into threaded engagement at 46 at its lower end within the lower cylinder head 20. Arranged centrally within the tubular piston rod 35 is an axially movable plunger rod 4'! having formed at its upper end a needle valve 43. Threaded at 49 within the lower cylinder head 20 is a bushing 50 carrying packing 5i sealing the lower end of the rod ll and interposed between this packing and a collar 52 on the rod and arranged in the bushing 53 is a coiled spring 53. Formed in the piston 1! is a chamber 54 which is communicable through an axial passage 55 with the cylinder bore 42 at the upper side of the displacement piston d! and through passages 56 with the bore beneath the displacement piston 4|. Carried by the sliding crosshead H is a filler plug 5'! which may be re moved to permit filling of the bore 42 with a suitable liquid such as 011.

Now referri g to the operating means for the fluid and liquid control valves it will be noted that the lower end of the rod 4? is threaded at 58 within a member 52 in the form of a. block on which is pivotally connected as by a pin (iii an operating lever 65. The outer end of the plunger valve 39 is engageable with the lever 6i, and this valve and the valve 38 are constantly urged toward their outermost position by a coiled spring 62 interposed between the cylinder head 2% and a. pin 63 carried by the plunger valve stem. The hub of the lever 6! is provided with projections 64 and 65 having curved surfaces engageable with the lower plane surface of the bushing 58. When the lever 65 is swung downwardly from the position shown in 6, it rocks about the projection 65 thereby to move the needle valve rod 47 downwardly while the valve 38 is maintained closed by the spring 82 with the passage 3? open. When the lever 68 is rocked upwardly about the projection 6 the needle valve rod 67 is likewise moved downwardly while at the same time the plunger valve 38 is moved upwardly to unseat the I5 at the opposite sides of the feed piston in the manner above described. Due to the differential areas at the opposite side of the piston, the upper area being the smaller, the pressure fluid acts on the lower piston area with an upward feeding tendency. When the needle valve of the liquid displacement means is in the position shown in Fig. 6, no liquid can flow from the upper side of the displacement piston to the opposite side of the latter, so the pressure fluid acting on the lower side of the feed piston 56 is prevented from moving this piston upward- 1y. When the lever 6! is rocked relative to the bushing 58 the rod M is moved downwardly thereby to unseat the needle valve 43 to allow displacement of liquid from the upper side of the displacement piston to the lower side of the latter. The feed may be checked at will simply by closing the needle valve t? to prevent the by-passing of liquid from one side of the piston M to the other. If it is desired to efiect downward movement of the feed piston i6 thereby to raise the drill carriage H upwardly along the guide tower, this may be accomplished simply by rocking the lever 63! upwardly to close the passage 31 and unseat the valve 38 thereby to cut out the flow of pressure fluid to the lower end of the feed cylinder bore and to vent the latter to atmosphere through exhaust passage iii. The pressure fluid at this time acts on the upper pressure area of the feed piston i 5 to move the latter downwardly under the control of the needle valve of liquid displacement means. It will thus be that the liquid displacement means acts as a liquid dashpot and may be manually controllable at will to regulate the feeding speed of the pneumatic feeding means or to interrupt feed.

In Figs. 10 and 11 there is shown a modified form of control valve means for the fluid supply and vent means for the pneumatic feeding cylinder. In this form of the invention pressure fluid, herein air under pressure, is supplied through a connection 16- leading to any suitable source of supply, to a T H. Fluid is supplied through this T through a pipe connection 12 connected to the upper cylinder head I9 and communicating through a passage 13 formed in the head with the cylinder bore at the upper side of the feed piston l6. The T H is also connected through a pipe connection 14 with a chamber 16 formed in a valve casing 11. Also formed in the valve casing is a chamber 18 connected through a vent passage 19 to atmosphere. Formed between the inner walls and 8'! of these chambers is a chamber 82 connected by a pipe connection 83 and a passage 34, formed in the lower head 20, to the lower end of the feed cylinder bore at the lower side of the feed piston l6. Slidably arranged within bores 85 formed in the walls between the walls 80, BI is a plunger 85 having formed on its opposite ends end seating valves 81' and 88. The plunger is connected through a rod 89 and a pin and slot connection 98 to an operating lever 91 similar to the lever 6| heretofore described. When the valve 88' is seated and the valve Bl is in its open position, pressure fluid may flow through the pipe connecticn 33 and passage 84 to the lower end of the feed cylinder while pressure fluid is supplied continuously to the upper end of the feed cylinder at the upper side of the feed piston through pipe connection '12 and passage '13. When the lever M is swung downwardly, the valve Bil is unseated while the valve 81 is seated, and as a result the supply of pressure fluid to the lower end of the feed cylinder is cut oil and. the latter end of the cylinder vented to atmosphere through passage E4, pipe connection 83, chamber 18. and vent passage 79. Otherwise this form of the invention is similar to that above described.

In the modified form of construction shown in Fig. 12, two valve mechanisms 92 and93 identical in design to the valve mechanism shown in Fig. 11 are provided for variably controlling the flow of pressure fluid to the opposite ends of the feed cylinder bore at the opposite sides of the feed Pressure fluid is supplied through a pipe connection 94 and T 95 to the valve mechanism 32 and through a pipe connection 5% connected to the T 95 to the valve mechanism The valve mechanism 93 is similar to that shown in Fig. 11 except in this instance the central chamber 91 between the valves is connected through a pipe connection 93- to the cylinder bore the upper side of the feed piston l6. Pivoted on the needle valve operating block 53 at 99 is a double ended operating lever iilfl to which the valve mechanism 92 is connected at I! and the valve mechanism 93 at 562. When the lever iii-fl in the position shown in Fig. 12, flow of pressure fluid to the upper end of the feed cylinder bore is cut oil and this end of the cylinder bore is vented to atmosphere, while pressure fluid is supplied to the lower end of the feed cylinder bore. When the lever its is swung downwardly, the valve 92 is moved to cylinder bore venting position while the valve mechanism Slit is moved to pressure fluid supplying position, and as a result pressure fluid is supplied to the upper end of the cylinder bore while the lower end of the cylinder bore is vented to atmosphere. It will thus be seen that a regulated control of pressure fluid for opposite ends of the feed cylinder at the opposite sides of the feed piston is provided. Otherwise this form of the invention is the same as the forms above described.

Now referring to the further modified form of construction shown in Figs. 13, 14, and 15, it will be noted that an improved controlling arrangement is provided for the valve mechanisms shown in Fig. 12. In this instance, the valve mechanisms of Fig. 12 are shown in horizontal alined position beneath the lower cylinder head EM and are indicated at H35, I06, respectively, the valve H35 corresponding to the valve 92 shown in Fig. 12 while the valve I96 corresponds to the valve 93 shown in that figure. As in the other forms of the invention, the lever Illl is pivotally connected at I08 to the block 59 of the needle valve operating rod M and this lever the needle valve rod axis to effect control of the valve mechanisms Hi5 and ice. The hub ill of this lever is provided with cam projections H2 and H3, and engageable with the projections H2 is a plunger H4 connected to the valve stem of the valve mechanism I06. while engageable with the cam project-ions H3 is a plunger M5 connected to the valve stem of the valve mechanism H35. When the hub ill of the lever ill! is in its neutral position shown in Fig. 13, the plungers 114, are in: their innermost position with the pressure fluid supply valve of both valve mechanisms in open position and the vent valves of both valve mechanisms in their closed position. At this time there is a differential pressure acting on the feed piston to effect upward feeding movement of the latter as in the form of the invention shown in Fig. 6. When the lever I9! is moved horizontally in one direction or the other, one or the other of the cam projections H2, H3, operates to effect unseating of the vent valve of one of the valve mechanisms I05, I06 and seating of the supply control valve of the other valve mechanism, thereby to effect venting of one side or the other of the feed piston l6. Pressure fluid is supplied to the valve mechanism I25 through a supply pipe H6 and to the valve mechanism H36 through a supply pipe 11, these supply pipes being connected to the fluid supply connection 84- of the form of the invention shown in Fig. 12. The valve mechanism 35 is connected through a pipe connection M8 to the lower end of the cylinder bore and through a pipe connection I!!! to the upper end of the cylinder bore. Otherwise this form of the invention is similar to that described above in the other forms.

In all forms of the invention, when pressure fluid is supplied to the opposite ends of the feed cylinder bore at the opposite sides of the feed piston it and the needle valve 48 of the fluid displacement means is in open position, the feed piston 16 travels upwardly within the bore of the feed piston 15 thereby moving the sliding crosshead 2-! upwardly within its guides and through the cable and pulley connections 24, 26,

2?, 28, the drill carriage H is fed downwardly in a feeding direction along the guide tower. ihe feed may be varied or interrupted at will by controlling the position of the needle valve ii; of the fluid displacement means, it being possible quickly to interrupt feeding movement by seating the needle valve 8 to interrupt bypassing of fluid from the upper side of the displacement piston M to the lower side of the latter. When the feed cylinder at the lower side of the feed piston I6 is vented to atmosphere, the pressure acting on the upper pressure area of the feed piston effects downward movement of the latter and, through the cable and pulley connections, moving the drill carriage upwardly along the guide tower, it being possible to regulate the rate of upward feeding movement by adjusting the position of the liquid by-pass controlling displacement valve it.

As a result of this invention, it will be noted that an improved rock drill feeding mechanism is provided wherein the drill may be fed by pressure fluid in an improved manner and under the control of liquid displacement means. It will further be noted that by the provision of the particular control means disclose-d, it is possible for the drill operator to regulate the feeding speed or wholly to interrupt feed as desired by the manipulation of a single control lever. These and other uses and advantages of the improved drill feeding mechanism will be clearly apparent to those skilled in the art.

While there are in this application specifically described several forms which the invention may assume in practice, it will be understood that these forms of the same are shown for purposes of illustration and that the invention may be further modified and embodied in various other forms without departing from its spirit or the scope of the appended claims.

What I claim as new and desire tosecure by Letters Patent is:

1. In a rock drill feeding mechanism, in combination, a feeding motor, fluid displacement means associated with said feeding motor for regulating the rate of feed, means for controlling said feeding motor including valve means for reguiating the flow of pressure fluid to said motor: and for venting the feeding pressure when the flow of pressure fluid to said motor is interrupted, means for controlling said displacement means to vary the rate of feed and to interrupt operation of said feeding motor at will, and common control means for said feeding motor and displacement means controlling means.

2. In a rock drill feeding mechanism, in combination, a feeding motor including a feed cylinder and a feed piston reciprocable therein, liquid displacement means associated with said feeding motor for regulating the rate of feed and including a displacement cylinder movable with said feed piston and a liquid displacement piston contained in said displacement cylinder and secured to said feed cylinder, means for controlling said feeding motor including valve means for regulating the flow of pressure fluid to said feed cylinder and for venting said feed cylinder when the flow of pressure fluid thereto is interrupted, means for controlling said displacement means for varying the rate of feed and to interrupt novement of said feed piston at will including means for by-passing liquid from one side of said displacement piston to the other and valve means for controlling said by-passing means, and

common control means for said feeding motor and displacement means controlling means.

3. In a rock drill feeding mechanism, in combination, a feeding motor including a feed cylinder and a feed piston reciprocable therein, fluid displacement means associated with said feeding motor for regulating the rate of feed, means for supplying pressure fluid to said feed cylinder to act constantly on one pressure area of said feed piston, means for variably controlling the supply of pressure fluid to the opposite end of said feed cylinder to act on the opposite pressure area of said feed piston and for venting said last mentioned end of said feed cylinder when the supply of pressure fluid thereto is interrupted, said feed piston having differential pressure areas and the pressure fluid acting constantly on the smaller area of said piston, means for controlling said fluid displacement means for controlling the rate of feed and to interrupt movement of said feed piston at will, and common control means for controlling said pressure fluid supply and venting means and said displacement means controlling means.

4. In a rock drill feeding mechanism, in combination, a feeding motor including a feed cylinder and a feed piston reciprocable therein, fluid displacement means associated with said feeding motor for regulating the rate of feed, controlling means for said feeding motor, controlling means for said fluid displacement means, and a common control handle for said controlling means, said handle movable in one direction to operate said controlling means for said feeding means and in a right angle direction to operate said fluid displacement means controlling means.

5. In a rock drill feeding mechanism, in combination, a feeding motor including a feed cylinder containing a reciprocable feed piston, liquid displacement means associated with said feeding motor for regulating the rate of feed, controlling means for said feeding motor including valve means for regulating the flow of pressure fluid to the opposite ends of said feed cylinder and for venting said cylinder ends when the flow of pressure fluid thereto is interrupted, controlling means for said liquid displacement means for varying the rate of movement of said feed piston and to interrupt said piston movement at will, and common control means for said feeding motor and displacement means controlling means.

6. In a rock drill feeding mechanism, in combination, a feeding motor including a feed cylinder containing a reciprocable feed piston, liquid displacement means associated with said feeding motor for regulating the rate of feed, controlling means for said feeding motor including valve means for regulating the flow of pressure fluid to the opposite ends of said feed cylinder and for venting said cylinder when the flow of pressure fluid thereto is interrupted, controlling means for said liquid displacement means for varying the rate of movement of said feed piston and to interrupt said piston movement at will, and a common control handle for operating said flow controlling and venting means and said displacement means controlling means.

'7. In a rock drill feeding mechanism, in combination, a feeding motor including a feed cylinder containing a reciprocable feed piston, liquid displacement means associated with said feeding motor for regulating the rate of feed, controlling means for said feeding motor including valve means for regulating the flow of pressure fluid to the opposite ends of said feed cylinder and for Venting said cylinder when the flow of pressure fluid thereto is interrupted, controlling means for said liquid displacement means for varying the rate of movement of said feed piston and to interrupt said piston movement at will, and a common control handle for operating said flow controlling and venting means and said displacement means controlling means, said control handle movable in one direction to operate said fluid controlling and venting means and in a right angle direction to operate said displacement means controlling means.

8. In a rock drilling mechanism, in combination, a guide frame having longitudinal guideways, a rock drill guided on said frame guideways, a feed cylinder mounted in a stationary position on said guiding frame and arranged parallel with said drill guideways, a feed piston reciprocable in said feed cylinder and having a projecting piston rod, speed multiplying connections between said feed piston rod and said rock drill, fluid displacement means for regulating the rate of feed and for interrupting movement of the feed piston at Will including a liquid displacement cylinder formed in said feed piston rod and containing a stationary liquid displacement piston, means for controlling the flow of pressure fluid to said feed cylinder to effect movement of said feed piston and to vent said feed cylinder when the flow of fluid thereto is interrupted, and means for controlling said displacement means including means for by-passing fluid from one side of said displacement piston to the other and valve means for controlling said by-passing means.

9. In a rock drilling mechanism, in combination, a guide frame having longitudinal guideways, a rock drill guided on'said frame guideways, a feed cylinder mounted in a static-nary position on said guide frame and arranged parallel with said drill guideways, a feed piston reciprocable in said feed cylinder and having a interrupted, means for controlling said displacement means including means for by-passing fluid from one side of said displacement piston to the other and valve means for controlling said by-passing means, and a common control handle for operating said fluid flow and vent controlling means and said liquid displacement controlling means.

10. In a rock drilling mechanism, in combination, a guide frame having longitudinal guideways, a rock drill guided on said frame guide- Ways, a feeding motor mounted on said guide frame including relative reciprocable feed cylinder and piston elements arranged with their longitudinal axes parallel with the drill guideways, speed multiplying connections between said feed piston and said rock drill, fluid displacement means associated with said feeding motor for regulating the rate of feed and for interrupting movement of said piston at will, means for supplying pressure fluid to said feed cylinder to effect movement of said feed piston in a direction rearwardly with respect to said guide frame to effect, through said speed multiplying connections, forward feeding movement of the rock drill along the frame guideways, means for controlling the flow of pressure fluid to said feed cylinder, and means for controlling said displacement means.

ELMER, G. GARTIN. 

